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BOXING;Whitaker Keeps Title With a Split Decision

He tried clowning when boxing would not work, but Pernell Whitaker still managed, barely, to hold onto his welterweight championship tonight against a cautious Wilfredo Rivera -- who fooled him by switching to a southpaw style.

Whitaker was awarded a split decision to retain the World Boxing Council title. More problematic, though, is how the public will perceive the unofficial title he holds more dearly -- that of world's best fighter. He was never dominating.

There was no doubt," he contended later, but added defensively: "People think I can't get hit. I need the big fights. Once I can get one of those bums in the ring, you'll see a great fight."

It was a double-header of 147-pounders. In a preliminary bout, Ike Quartey scored another knockout, this time over Vince Phillips, to remain the undefeated ruler of the World Boxing Association.

Most of the Whitaker-Rivera bout was an affair only their mothers could love. It was as if the fighters tried to get into the spirit of this low-key island -- Whitaker staring and planning, then throwing; Rivera slapping, then holding back. At the end, Whitaker seemed to be trying to convince the judges with his clowning that this was merely a romp. But clearly, he was troubled.

Judge Barbara Perez of Barnegat, N.J., voted for Rivera, 116-113, while Tomatsu Tomihara of Japan (117-112) and George St. Aude of Trinidad (115-113) gave it to Whitaker.

"I trained for a right-hander and then 'e switched to left-hander," Whitaker said. "That would give anyone trouble."

Rivera, who had a small contingent from his native Puerto Rico rooting for him in the makeshift arena, claimed "Pernell got the benefit of all the doubts, including the weights." He had contended that Whitaker got on the weigh-in scale so quickly that an accurate reading could not be made.

Rivera did not seize the moment, even though Whitaker clearly was not at his peak. Rivera fought most of the fight bleeding from a butt-induced cut on his forehead and another caused by a punch under his left eye.

The odds favoring Whitaker, which had been 8-1 at the casinos on the Dutch side of the island (the French do not permit gambling on their part) dropped to 5-2 by fight time.

Whitaker admitted after the fight, "I was sick early this week, but I don't want any excuses." He had been bothered by a cold that got so troublesome he started taking antibiotics.

The 32-year-old Whitaker, from Norfolk, Va., earned $2.5 million while bringing his record up to 38-1-1. It was Rivera's first defeat after 24 fights, including a draw.

In front of swaying palm trees, Quartey brought a touch of sudden savagery to the evening when he halted Phillips at 2 minutes 31 seconds of the third round. Quartey immediately challenged Whitaker.

Phillips had been throwing most of the punches, but Quartey was doing most of the hurting. When he landed one right midway through the round, it was merely another accurate power punch -- he connected on 75 percent of his hooks and rights.

Phillips staggered across the ring. The punch landed just after his manager, Akbar Muhammad, shouted, "You can be champion of the world, my friend." Instead, the champion Quartey chased Phillips. Finally, he knocke' him into the ropes with a left-right combination, and Phillips sprawled over the second strand. He got up at the count of four, but Referee Julio Cesar Alvarado of Panama stopped it just as Phillips's handlers were climbing into the ring to do the same.

"I want to fight Whitaker now," Quartey said. "As soon as he's finished tonight, we can get right back in the ring." Whitaker, though, is thinking of the International Boxing Federation ruler, Felix Trinidad, or Julio Cesar Chavez, who fought him to a draw in 1993.